Which classes look better to colleges?

"Is it better for me to have poor grades in AP classes or excellent grades in regular courses?"

Darina, 13, Spokane, WA

Getting poor grades in an AP class pretty much cancels out the benefit of taking the more advanced class in the first place. Colleges do like to see students challenging themselves, but not at the expense of being able to keep up and excel at the coursework. For some of you, it may be a cinch to take all advanced classes and get A's & B's. Other girls may need to take a mix of advanced and regular courses in order to get good grades, and for some it may be challenging enough just to get through the regular high school courses. The key is to know your own limits and balance your schedule so that you can get good grades without feeling in over your head.

When you're putting together your class schedule for high school, each year you'll need to ask yourself which classes (if any) are too easy and which are a struggle. Take more advanced courses in the subjects where you excel, and register for regular courses in the subjects that are more challenging. You'll have a better chance of maintaining a higher GPA if know your academic strengths and weaknesses, and colleges will get a better sense of the type of student you are and what kind of academic rigor you can handle. Good luck!

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